Customized virtual catalog

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments include an apparatus comprising a server operable to generate a customized virtual catalog including a plurality of composite images, wherein at least one of the plurality of composite images includes an image of a promotional product decorated using a decorative image associated with a client requesting access to the customized virtual catalog.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priorityunder 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/191,235,entitled “CUSTOMIZED VIRTUAL CATALOG”, filed on Aug. 13, 2008, which ishereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The sale of promotional products, also called advertising specialties,has traditionally been practiced as a broker-customer relationship wherea commissioned broker presents, in-person, various product lines anddecoration choices to a customer. For example, a customer may call abroker in regards to promoting their company at a client appreciationgolf tournament. The broker presents the customer with various products,i.e., hats, shirts, mugs, etc., which can be decorated using selecteddecorative technologies, i.e., embroidery, silk-screening, etc. Forexample, the customer may select a green polo shirt with the intentionthat it be decorated with company logo, graphic, name, or other text orsymbol using, for example, black embroidery above the shirt pocket. Thebroker then facilitates the coordination among the customer, productvendor, and decorators to supply the requested customized product in thetime required by the customer.

Due to the large number of product manufacturers and decorators, thebroker usually carries a selected product line from variousmanufacturers, and utilizes a selected group of decorators to apply thenecessary decoration to the product. The customer, therefore, ispresented a limited group of products and limited options for decoratingthe products. Moreover, when choosing the product, the customergenerally is looking at catalog images or samples that are blank—thatis, that are undecorated, or that are decorated with some designintended to be representative of a “typical” decorated product. In theseinstances, the customer is left to imagine the appearance of thedecorated product, or must imagine their particular decorative logo usedto decorate the product, until after placing an order and waiting to seea produced and decorated product. Thus, typically, the customer usuallydoes not see the final product until it arrives. Furthermore, until theproduct arrives, the customer must depend upon the broker to ensure theorder is delivered on time and appears as was anticipated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the present inventive subject matter are illustratedby way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanyingdrawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and inwhich:

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system according to various embodiments;

FIG. 1B is a chart illustrating methods of receiving and storinginformation related to promotional products;

FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating various relationships between clientinformation and product information according to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a client information block according tovarious embodiments;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a product information block according tovarious embodiments;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a portion of a customized virtual cataloggenerated according to various embodiments;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a screen generated as part of a customizedvirtual catalog according to various embodiments;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a diagram of a portion of a customizedvirtual catalog having an order bar as included in various embodiments;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a screen included in a customized virtualcatalog for a pending order according to various embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of various methods according to variousembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the present inventive subject matter is described below by wayof various embodiments that include specific structures and methods,embodiments that include alternative structures and methods can beemployed without departing from the principles of the inventive subjectmatter described herein.

In general, embodiments described below feature composite imagegeneration, including in various embodiments a network-based applicationthat provides access to a customized virtual catalog. In variousembodiments, the customized virtual catalog provided as, for example butnot limited to, one or more web pages. In various embodiments, the webpages include a plurality of images of promotional products, wherein oneor more of the images of the promotional products are displayed to agiven user accessing the customized virtual catalog having a decorativeimage associated with the given user placed onto the one or more imagesof the promotional products. In various embodiments, each of theplurality of images of promotional products displayed when a given useraccesses the customized virtual catalog is displayed as having at leastone decorative image associated with the given user applied to thepromotional product.

While various embodiments described herein are directed toward acustomized virtual catalog, it would be understood that embodiments arenot limited to just a customized virtual catalog. Various embodimentscan be used to generate a file including one or more composite images,wherein the file provides an output that can be printed in the form of aflier or other tangible printed form, and that can be mailed orotherwise distributed. In various embodiments, the generated file isused to produce a customized email that can then be emailed to one ormore email accounts.

In various embodiments, accessing the customized virtual catalogincludes prompting a user for a product image selection and a decorativeimage selection and displaying a product image (e.g., a photograph) withthe decorative image (e.g., a logo graphic or text graphic) placed onit. In various embodiments, prompting the user for a product imageselection, decorative image selection, or both product image selectionand decorative image selection can be triggered simply by a recognizeduser accessing the server, or other system, that is providing thefunctions and features associated with the customized virtual catalog.In some embodiments once a user has accessed the server or other systemproviding the functions and features of the customized virtual catalog,the user can make a request to provide product image selections,decorative image selections, or both, to the server or other system.

Various embodiments feature a network-based application for compositeimage generation. For the purposes of the present specification, theterm “product image” shall be taken to include any image type and candepict any type, shape or construction of product. The term “decorativeimage” shall also be taken to include any image type, and can depict,for example, any logo, text, pattern, ornamentation, name, symbol,emblem or the like that can be applied to a product.

In some embodiments, the present invention is implemented as acomputer-based service that is accessed through the Internet, forexample, using a Web browser. The service provides an interface thatallows a user to access the customized virtual catalog and to haveimages of the promotional products displayed to the user accessing thecustomized virtual catalog having one or more particular decorativeimages associated with the user applied to the images of the promotionalproducts, wherein each different user accessing the customized virtualcatalog has access to a same plurality of promotional products, but eachuser having the images of the plurality of promotional productsdecorated with decorative images that are associated with the usersaccessing the customized virtual catalog.

Throughout the specification, reference is made to “the plurality ofpromotional products.” It would be understood that this phrase caninclude a plurality of promotional products of a same type or of samekind of promotional product, or a plurality of promotional products thatinclude more than one of a single type or a single kind of promotionalproduct. In addition, any of the embodiments described herein could beapplied for use with a single promotional product, including acustomized virtual catalog that includes one promotional product. Such asingle promotional product can be used, for example, as an advertisementor in promotional materials including the single promotional product.

In some embodiments, the plurality of promotional products viewed by auser accessing the customized virtual catalog are decorated with adecorative image or images associated with a particular client orentity, such as a business or a brand name that is associated with orowned by the client or entity providing the user with access to thecustomized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, for any givenpromotional product a default size for the decorative image is used whenapplying a decorative image to the promotional products. In variousembodiments, for any given promotional product a default position isused for placement of the decorative image onto the image of thepromotional product. In various embodiments, for any given promotionalproduct necessary warping is applied to the decorative image as appliedto the given promotional product based on warping information associatedwith the given promotional product. In various embodiments, for a givenpromotional product, a filter is applied to the composite image of thepromotional product and to the applied decorative image so as to givethe composite image the appearance of having the decorative imageapplied using a particular manufacturing process, such as but notlimited to embroidery.

In various embodiments, a given user is able to select a promotionalproduct, and to select or to even create decorative image information,and to view the composite image including the promotional productdecorated with the selected or created decorative image information, allbefore ordering the promotional product.

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system 100 according to various embodiments.System 100 includes one or more client devices 102A-N coupled to server120 through network 110. Client devices 102A-N are not limited to anyparticular type of devices. In various embodiments, client devices102A-N include a single client device, or a combination of clientdevices 102A-N. In various embodiments, the single client device or thecombination of client devices includes any combination of types ofdevices, including but not limited to personal computers (PCs), laptopcomputers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones,Internet Protocol (IP) televisions, and High Definition (HD)televisions.

Client devices 102A-N include an interface 105. Interface 105 isoperable to allow a client device 102A-N to communicate with server 120through network 110. Interface 105 is not limited to any particular typeof interface. In various embodiments, interface 105 is a web browser. Invarious embodiments, any one or more of client devices 102A-N uses awireless connection 104 to communicate with network 110. In variousembodiments, in instances where a client device included in clientdevices 102A-N is using the wireless connection 104, interface 105 isoperable to facilitate the communications taking place over the wirelessconnection 104 to and from the given one of client devices 102A-N usingthe wireless connection 104. It would be understood that the interface105 in a given client device 102A-N would be operable to allow the givenclient device 102A-N to communicate with server 120 through network 110,and thus in some embodiments is a different type of interface as wouldbe provided in another and different one of client devices 102A-N.

In various embodiments, client devices 102A-N include a display 106.Display 106 is not limited to any particular type of display, and caninclude any type of display operable to visually display some portion ofthe customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, display 106 isoperable to allow inputs to be made at a client device, by way ofillustration but not limited to having display 106 include a touchscreen.

In various embodiments, any one of client devices 102A-N is operable toaccess a customized virtual catalog provided at server 120. In variousembodiments, server 120 is operable to provide graphical images includedas part of a customized virtual catalog to any one or more of clientdevices 102A-N. In various embodiments, the customized virtual catalogis provided as one or more web pages accessible by one or more of clientdevices 102A-N. In various embodiments, server 120 is operable toprovide a different and customized virtual catalog to each of thedifferent client devices 102A-N.

In various embodiments, a customized virtual catalog is accessed throughone of client devices 102A-N that run interface 105 to provide graphicalinterfaces for a user to effectively access the customized virtualcatalog, including the use of the composite image generation serviceprovided at server 120. The client devices 102A-N communicate with theserver 120 via a network 110, which in some embodiments includes theInternet. Server 120 includes in various embodiments any combination ofsuch components including a web server 130, an application server 140,and a database server 190. It will be appreciated that these servers canrun on other machines that are accessible by server 120.

In various embodiments, database server 190 is coupled to or includesone or more databases 198. Databases 198 include but are not limited toany combination of product image database 182, product receivingdatabase 184, product database 186, logo database 188, photo archivedatabase 192, customer database 194, and order database 196. In variousembodiments, databases 198 are also stored at the server 120. However,it would be understood that one or more of databases 198 can be storedat other machines and other servers, and database data can be uploadedto the server 120 when necessary.

The application server 140 contains visualization server 150 thatincludes compositing engine 160, product image conversion engine 170,and artwork creation engine 180. In various embodiments, compositingengine 160 generates a composite image based on a first image providedas a promotional product in the customized virtual catalog, and a secondimage associated with a particular user who is accessing the customizedvirtual catalog. A first image is, for example, uploaded from a productmanufacturer and represents a product depicted in the first image. Afile associated with the first image is received at a product receivingdatabase 184. The file includes information associated with thepromotional product that is associated with the file, including anycombination of dimensional information, choices of colors and materialsavailable for the promotional product, information regarding whatmanufacturing processes are available for decorating the promotionalproduct, warping information related to how to warp a decorative imageonto one or more portions of the images of the promotional productassociated with the file, and default areas where decorative images canbe applied to the images of the promotional product.

In various embodiments, the file is processed by the product imageconversion engine 170 for storage in a product database 186. In variousembodiments, the file includes data representing one or more images ofthe promotional product. In various embodiments, the data representingthe one or more images of the promotional product are stored in theproduct image database 182. In various embodiments, the informationassociated with the file and the promotional product is stored in theproduct database 186.

The image for the promotional product can be obtained from the anynumber of sources. For example, an operator of a Web site that is itsupported by the server 120 can employ an internal photographic (or art)department that is responsible for generating images of products thatare supplied, together with pertinent product information, to the Website operator by manufacturers of such products. In various embodiments,these internally generated photographs are stored in a photo archivedatabase 192.

In various embodiments, the decorative image, or “second image” is anyimage that can be stored or uploaded into visualization server 150, andapplied in a composite image to an image of at least one promotionalproduct. In various embodiments, the decorative images are image filesthat are uploaded from network 110 and stored in logo database 188. Theimage files are not limited to any particular type or format of files,and can include any types and formats of files operable to provide datathat can be utilized as a decorative image by visualization server 150.In various embodiments, the image file for the decorative image is notlimited to any particular format, and in various embodiments, can be anyof the following formats: Joint Photographic Experts Group format(.jpg), Microsoft Windows™ Bitmap formatted image (.bmp), and TaggedImage File Format (.tif).

In various embodiments, the artwork creation engine 180 is operable todetect information associated with the image file, such as but notlimited to the number of colors and transparent areas included in animage file for a decorative image. In various embodiments, visualizationserver 150 generates displays of the image files on a special backgroundoperable to allow a user to edit the image file. In various embodiments,the image file including the decorative image and any associateddecorative file information is stored in the customer database 194 so asto associate the image file and the decorative image with a particularclient.

In various embodiments, the second image is modified by the artworkcreation engine 180 according to the user's blocks in the Web browser.These image conversion processes are described in detail below. Thedatabase server 190 that communicates to the application server 140contains databases used for the composite image generation. As statedabove, the databases may be stored at another machine and accessed bythe database server 190. Furthermore, the database server 190 may run atanother machine and communicate with the application server 140 via thenetwork 110.

In various embodiments, in order to produce a composite image, the firstand the second images, for example product image and logo imagerespectively, are processed for use by the compositing engine 160 of thevisualization server 150. While the below embodiments of the presentinvention are in some instances described as utilizing “logo images” or“logos,” it will be appreciated that embodiments are not limited to theutilization of such logo images, and can employ a decorative imagerepresenting any decoration (e.g., a graphic, logo or text) that may beapplied to a base product representing an undecorated promotionalproduct.

In various embodiments, compositing engine 160 is operable to generateeach of the composite images included in the customized virtual catalog,each composite image including an image of a base product rendered toinclude a decoration including a decorative image applied to the imageof the base product. In various embodiments, the decorative image isapplied to a default position on the image of the base product, andusing a default size of the decorative image for a given base product.In various embodiments, the default size is based on decoration areasinformation associated with a given base product, and can be differentfor different base products for any given and same decorative image. Invarious embodiments, the decorative image is applied using warpinginformation to warp the decorative image onto the image of the baseproduct in the composite image. In various embodiments, the decorativeimage is applied using a filter to give the decorative image theappearance in the composite image of having been applied to the actualbase product using a particular manufacturing process.

In various embodiments, the decorative image is “pre-rendered” in someform so that the load time is faster for a user accessing the customizedvirtual catalog.

In various embodiments, compositing engine 160 is operable to generateeach of the composite images based on information related to the baseproduct, information related to the decorative image being applied, andinstructions stored in the imprint algorithm 165.

In various embodiments, a client accessing the customized virtualcatalog is provided options to edit one or more parameter of a compositeimage, including but not limited to logo position, color of base productand decorative image, logo size, filtering used in the composite imagerepresenting the manufacturing process used to apply the logo to theactual base product depicted in the composite image, and any text orother graphical features included in the logo. As part of any editingperformed on a composite image, compositing engine 160 is operable tore-generate a new composite image based on the edits performed.

In various embodiments, before a product image and a logo image can beutilized by the composite image generator, in one embodiment, each isformatted as a raster file. It will be appreciated that the processingof the photo images need not occur at the server 120, and can take placeat another location with the processed product images that can then be,for example, uploaded to the server 120 via a network or generated by aWeb site operator that operates the server 120. In various embodiments,a product image file depicting a product is submitted by a manufacturerof the product. For example, the product manufacturer submits ahigh-resolution product photo file, such as a file of 1.3 mega-pixelresolution.

FIG. 1B is a chart 101 illustrating methods of receiving and storinginformation related to promotional products. In various embodiments, atblock 1010 the manufacturer submits a physical product sample with theproduct information, including any combination of size, imprint area,and warping information, that is stored in product receiving database1012 by the compositing engine 160. In various embodiments, the productreceiving database 1012 is product receiving database 184. Upongeneration of photography instructions at block 1020, the digitalphotograph of the product is taken at block 1030 by, for example, a Website operator that operates the server 120. The digital photograph isthen uploaded to photo archive database at block 1040, which in variousembodiments is the photo archive database 192. The photo is coded withimprint instructions at block 1050, and the coded photo is stored inphoto archive data base at block 1060, which in some embodiments is theproduct image database 182.

In various embodiments, the product image processing in done utilizing acommercially available software package, such as Adobe Photoshop™(available from Adobe Systems of San Jose, Calif.) on Windows™ operatingsystem (available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.). Invarious embodiments, an alpha channel is defined using the selectiontools in Photoshop™, and, at the same time, the diameter of the productis set and the warp ratio is automatically calculated based on thediameter of the product. The product photo export plug-in generates theproduct image file and product thumbnail file and saves it in theproduct image database, or saves it for uploading to the productdatabase 1070 by the product image conversion engine 170.

Referring again to FIG. 1A, in various embodiments, the product imagedatabase 182 is part of a product database 186 where the product imagesare associated with a product. However, in other embodiments it can be aseparate product image database associated with a product database. Inan embodiment where the product images are processed at another system,the processed files are uploaded to the product image database 182. Theproduct image file may be a .png file containing a high-resolutionproduct image. It will be appreciated that product image files inaddition to or other than the above image files may also be generated bythe product photo export plug-in.

In various embodiments, information associated with each user accessingthe customized virtual catalog as provided at server 120 has clientinformation stored in customer database 194, and associated with theuser. This client information includes at least one default decorativeimage that is used to decorate one or more of the promotional productsdisplayed to the user when the user accesses the customized virtualcatalog. In various embodiments, a given user can have a plurality ofdecorative images associated with the given user and displayed ondifferent particular ones of the promotional products as thesepromotional products are displayed to the given user when displaying thecustomized virtual catalog to the given user. In various embodiments,every one of the promotional products displayed when a given useraccesses the customized virtual catalog is decorated using a decorativeimage associated with the given user. In various embodiments, every oneof the promotional products displayed when a given user accesses thecustomized virtual catalog is decorated using a decorative imageassociated with the client device through which the given user isobtaining access to the customized virtual catalog.

In operation, a user identified as a “client” uses one of client devices102A-N to access the customized virtual catalog through network 110. Invarious embodiments, the client is identified by using a password orother identification information during a login process to gain accessto the customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, the client isidentified by identifying the particular client device 102A-N throughwhich the client is obtaining the access to the customized virtualcatalog. Once identified, information from the customer database 194 isused to determine which decorative images are associated with theclient, and along with other information including client settings anddefault settings for the client, a customized virtual catalog isgenerated to provide one or more images of promotional productsdecorated with decorative images associated with the client. Thegenerated images are provided over the network for viewing by theclient.

In various embodiments, the client is provided images and screens thatallow the client to further edit the images, and to modify variousclient settings and client information. In various embodiments, theclient is provided screens and options on screens operable to allow theclient to get pricing information related to selected promotionalproducts decorated with decorative images, and to place orders forpromotional products decorated with one or more decorative images. Invarious embodiments, information related to one or more client's ordersis stored in order database 196.

By having customer information stored for each individual user accessingthe customized virtual catalog as provided at server 120, each user canbe presented with a unique customized virtual catalog that includesimages of promotional products decorated with one or more particular anddifferent decorative images, the decorative images associatedindividually with the particular user accessing the customized virtualcatalog.

In various embodiments, server 120 includes a processor and memory unit142, wherein the memory includes any type of computer readable medium,such as a computer memory, operable to store instructions that whenexecuted by the processor, perform any of the methods and any of theoperations described herein.

It would be understood that obtaining data related to promotionalproducts, such as shown in FIG. 1B, is illustrative and not limiting. Invarious embodiments, images of promotional products can be obtained fromother sources, including websites and existing databases, and processedand stored for use in the customized virtual catalog.

Similarly, the decorative images are not limited to being obtained froma particular source, and can be obtained from any source, including butnot limited to a website or an existing database storing one or moredecorative images.

It would be understood that it is not necessary in every embodiment of acustomized virtual catalog that the information used to store and toprovide the images of the promotional products, to store and to providethe decorative images used to decorate an image of any promotionalproduct, or that the composite images themselves be stored in adatabase, or otherwise stored for later use within a system operable toprovide the customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, theinformation used to store and to provide any one or more of promotionalproduct images, any one or more of the decorative images, any one ormore of the composite images, or any combination of these can beretrieved from sources outside the system used to generate thecustomized virtual catalog, and displayed as part or all of a customizedvirtual catalog without storing any, or at least without storing on thesystem some part of, the information providing in the customized virtualcatalog.

FIG. 2 is a chart 200 illustrating various relationships between clientinformation and product information according to various embodiments.Chart 200 includes client information blocks 210, product informationblocks 250, and relationships 230. In various embodiments, when a clientaccesses the customized virtual catalog, a given one of the clientinformation blocks 210 associated with the client making the access isused to generate composite images of some, or in various embodimentsall, of the promotional products included in product information blocks250 based on relationships 230.

The client information blocks 210 are used to determine which decorativelogos are associated with the client making access to the customizedvirtual catalog, and relationships 230 are then used to determine whichof the decorative logos associated with the client making the access areto be used in generating each of the composite images of the variouspromotional products associated with the product information blocks 250that are to be displayed to the client making the access.

In various embodiments, the generated composite images are available fordisplay and viewing by the client making the access as a customizedvirtual catalog, wherein any or all of the promotional productsassociated with the product information blocks 250 are available forviewing by the client and are displayed to the client as having theimage of the promotional products decorated using one or more of thedecorative logos associated with the client.

In various embodiments, client information blocks 210 include any numberof client information blocks 212, 214, and 218, wherein the number ofclient information blocks is not limited to any particular number ofblocks, as represented by dotted line 216. In various embodiments, eachof client information blocks 212, 214, and 218 includes clientinformation and one associated decorative logo, or a plurality ofdecorative logos. By way of illustration, client information block 212includes client information 212A, and one or more associated decorativelogos 212B, client information block 214 includes client information214A, and one or more associated decorative logos 214B, clientinformation block 218 includes client information 218A, and one or moreassociated decorative logos 218B. It would be understood that any clientinformation blocks represented by dotted line 216 also include clientinformation and one or more associated decorative logos.

Client information is not limited to any particular types ofinformation, and includes any data associated with or generated for aclient authorized to access the customized virtual catalog through asystem, such as but not limited to system 100 as shown in FIG. 1A. Invarious embodiments, client information such as client information 212A,214A, and 218A includes information associated with a particular clientwho is authorized to access the customized virtual catalog. In variousembodiments, the client information 212A, 214A, and 218A includesinformation associated with a particular client device that isauthorized to access the customized virtual catalog, such as but notlimited to the client devices 102A-N as shown as part of system 100 inFIG. 1A.

Returning to FIG. 2, the client information blocks 212, 214, and 218each include one or more associated decorative logos 212B, 214B, and218B respectively. Decorative logos are not limited to any particulartype of logo, and are intended to be construed broadly to include anytype of logo, graphic design, text, or colors that are possibly appliedto any type of promotional product. By way of illustration, decorativelogos can include a trademark. In various embodiments, the decorativelogos can include a company logo. In various embodiments, the decorativelogos include a slogan, or other text. In various embodiments, thedecorative logos include a combination of a graphic image and text.

In various embodiments, the data included in client information 212A,214A, through 218A is stored in a database, such as but not limited to,customer database 194 as shown in FIG. 1A. In various embodiments, thedata included in decorative logos 212B, 214B, through 218B is stored ina database such as, but not limited to, logo database 188 as shown inFIG. 1A.

Product information blocks 250 include any number of product informationblocks 252, 254, and 258, wherein the number of product informationblocks is not limited to any particular number of blocks, as representedby dotted line 256. In various embodiments, each of product informationblocks 252, 254, and 258 includes product information associated with atleast one promotional product, or at least one type of promotionalproduct. By way of illustration, product information block 252 includesproduct information 252A, and one or more product images 252B associatedwith baseball hats. By way of further illustration, product informationblock 254 includes product information 254A, and one or more productimages 254B associated with drinking mugs, and product information block258 includes product information 258A and one or more product images258B associated with Tee-shirts.

It would be understood that product information blocks 250 are notlimited to any particular type or types of products, and in variousembodiments can include any type of product that is decorateable inorder to create a decorated promotional product. It would also beunderstood that different types of promotional products can berepresented in a single product information block. By way of example,product information block 252 includes a number of baseball hats thatare made in a same style, but are available in a variety of colors, orthat are available in a variety of styles, or that are available in avariety of materials, or any combination of these. It would be furtherunderstood that different varieties of the baseball hats illustrated inproduct information block 252 could also be represented in two or moredifferent product information blocks, wherein each of the blocksrepresents some sub-category of the baseball hats, such assub-categories based on the materials the baseball hats represented inthe product block are manufactured from.

Relationships 230 represent links between one or more of clientinformation blocks 210 and product information blocks 250. In variousembodiments, relationships 230 determine links between the one or moredecorative logos associated with a client and the one or more productinformation blocks 250. In various embodiments, the links are used todetermine which of the decorative logos for a given client informationblock 210 are to be applied to the one or more product informationblocks 250 in order to generate the composite images a given client willsee when accessing the customized virtual catalog.

By way of illustration, when a client associated with client informationblock 212 accesses the customized virtual catalog, relationship 232A isused to determine which of decorative logos 212B will applied to thepromotional product or products associated with product informationblock 252. In various embodiments, relationship 232B is used todetermine which of decorative logos 212B will applied to the promotionalproduct or products associated with product information block 254. Invarious embodiments, relationship 232C is used to determine which ofdecorative logos 212B will applied to the promotional product orproducts associated with product information block 258. It would beunderstood that additional relationships 232D could be used to determinewhich decorative logos 212B will be applied to any additional promotionsproducts associated with product information blocks represented bydotted line 256.

By using relationships 232A-C, and 232D if present, a customized virtualcatalog can be generated for the client associated with clientinformation block 212 wherein images of any or all of the productsrepresented by product information blocks 250 are available to be viewedby the client having the client's decorative logo or logos applied toeach of the products, as defined by the relationships 232A-C and 232D.In various embodiments, relationships 230 link each of two or moredifferent decorative logos included in a particular client informationblock 210 to two or more different product information blocks 250. Byway of illustration, relationship 232A links a first decorative logo(not specifically shown in FIG. 2) included in decorative logos 212Bwith the baseball hats of product information block 252, and links asecond and different decorative logo included in decorative logos 212Bwith the drinking mugs of product information block 254. Based on theseillustrative linkings, when the client associated with clientinformation block 212 accesses the customized virtual catalog, thebaseball hats associated with product information block 252 will appeardecorated with the first decorative logo, and the drinking mugsassociated with product information block 254 will appear decorated withthe second decorative logo.

It would be understood that relationships 230 are operable to link oneor a plurality of decorative logos to any one or any combination ofproducts associated with product information blocks 250. In variousembodiments, relationships 234A, 234B, and 234C link client informationblock 214 and logos included in decorative logos 214B with thepromotional products associated with product information blocks 252,254, and 258 respectively. Relationships 238A, 238B, and 238C linkclient information block 218 and one or more of the decorative logos218B with the promotional products associated with product informationblocks 252, 254, and 258 respectively. If additional product informationblocks 256 are present, relationship 234D links one or more ofdecorative logos 214B to these product information blocks. If additionalproduct information blocks 256 are present, relationship 238D links oneor more of decorative logos 218B to these product information blocks.

In various embodiments, a given link includes instructions regardingvariations for a decorative logo for different versions of a productwithin a given product information block 250. By way of illustration, agiven logo in decorative logos 212B associated with client informationblock 212 includes a slogan comprised of text. The text is normallydepicted as being black in color. Relationship 232A links thisdecorative logo including text to the baseball hats of productinformation block 252. The baseball hats are available in a variety ofcolors, including black. Since black text might not show up well or atall on a black baseball hat, relationship 232A in various embodiments,includes information associated with products of a particular color,such as the default black colored text should not be applied to blackbaseball hats, but to use a different color such as red, to display thedecorative logo on the image of the black baseball hat.

By using relationships 230, each client represented by clientinformation blocks 212, 214, 218, and dotted line 216 when present, whenaccessing the customized virtual catalog will have custom views of oneor more of the promotional products associated with product informationblocks 252, 254, 256, and 258 that include the promotional productimages decorated based on the decorative logos for the particular clientand based on the relationships 230 for the particular client.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a client information block 300 according tovarious embodiments. Client information block 300 is not limited to anyparticular type of client information block, and in various embodimentsis one or more of client information blocks 210 as shown in FIG. 2. Invarious embodiments, client information block 300 includes data storedin a database, such as but not limited to customer database 194 as shownin FIG. 1A.

Returning to FIG. 3, client information block 300 includes a clientinformation portion 310, and a decorative logo portion 350. Clientinformation portion 310 is not limited to any particular type ofinformation, and includes in various embodiments any informationassociated with a client who is associated with client information block300. In various embodiments, client information portion 310 includes anycombination of a client name 312, an account number 314, contactinformation 316, billing information 318, history 320, and relationships322.

In various embodiments, client name 312 is a name of the client,including a person's name, or a name of an entity such as a business ora corporation, that is associated the client information block 300. Invarious embodiments, client name 312 is a name of a client device, suchas a particular computer, that has access to the customized virtualcatalog and is associated with client information block 300. By way ofillustration, client name 312 can be associated with a particular kiosklocated, for example, in a particular public location or in a business,wherein anyone using the kiosk can access the customized virtual catalogusing the kiosk and have the client information and the settingsassociated with the client information block 300 as associated with thekiosk. In such embodiments, the setup of the kiosk might be made so asto provide a customized virtual catalog having all the promotionalproducts decorated using a default logo associated with the location orthe business where the kiosk is located. This can be done for example topromote sales of products offer by the business where the kiosk islocated.

Account number 314 is not limited to any particular type of accountnumber, and includes any type of identification information associatedwith and used to identify the client associated with client informationblock 300. Contact information 316 is not limited to any particular typeof contact information, and includes any type of information useful forcontacting the client associated with client information block 300,including but not limited to mailing addresses, telephone and cell phonenumbers, and email addresses. Billing information 318 is not limited toany particular type of billing information, and includes any informationused to track and perform billing of the client associated with clientinformation block 300. Billing information includes but is not limitedto mailing addresses that can be the same or different for the addressesprovided in the contact information 316, account numbers for accountssuch as checking, savings, credit or debit accounts, wherein the clienthas set up arrangements for payment for products or services received bythe client associated with the client information block 300.

History 320 is not limited to any particular type of history, andincludes any information related to the history of the client associatedwith client information block 300. In various embodiments, history 320includes data indicative of the time and duration of visits to thecustomized virtual catalog by the client associated with clientinformation block 300. In various embodiments, history 320 includes dataindicative of the purchases made by the client associated with clientinformation block 300 while accessing the customized virtual catalog.Information related to purchases includes but is not limited to price,quantity, and type of products included in any purchase made by theclient associated with client information block 300.

In various embodiments, the information stored in history 320 can beused to further customize the customized virtual catalog as thecustomized virtual catalog is being accessed by the client. By way ofillustration, if the data stored in history 320 for a given clientinformation block 300 indicates that the client usually purchases lowerpriced items, the customized virtual catalog can be arranged to featuresuch low priced items in, for example, the first pages presented to theclient when the client accesses the catalog. It would be understood thatthe data included in history 320 is not limited to any particular use,and is made available and can be used in any manner to alter andcustomize the presentation of the customized virtual catalog for theclient associated with the client information block that includes thedata stored in history 320.

Relationships 322 is not limited to any particular type ofrelationships, and includes any relationships between decorative logosincluded in the decorative logo portion 350 of client information block300 and any one or a plurality of promotional products included in acustomized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, relationships 322are any one of the relationships 232A-D, 234A-D, or 238A-D as shown inFIG. 2. In various embodiments, relationships include a mapping betweenthe one or more logos in decorative logo portion 350 and the pluralityof products included in the product information blocks included in acustomized virtual catalog.

In various embodiments, relationships 322 include the defaultrelationships wherein a given decorative logo included in decorativelogo portion 350 is applied by default to all of the promotionalproducts included in a customized virtual catalog when accessed by theclient associated with client information block 300. In variousembodiments, relationships 322 include different linking between aplurality of decorative logos included in the decorative logo portion350 and various products included in a customized virtual catalog.

In various embodiments, relationships 322 includes additionalinformation regarding which decorative logos, or which versions of thedecorative logos, can be applied to which promotional products includedin the customized virtual catalog. By way of example, a given logo canin some instances be applied to an actual promotional product usingembroidery, but such a process is not available with respect to othertypes of promotional products, say by way of illustration, ceramiccoffee mugs. In another illustration, certain colors for logos will notproperly show up on a certain color, for example, a same color ofpromotional product. Data stored in relationships 322 includes dataassociating different logos, different processes for applying logos, anddifferent variations of logos, including different variations of colorfor a given logo, as the relationship of these to one or more of theplurality of promotional products available for display to the client aspart of the customized virtual catalog.

The type of data included in relationships 322 is not limited to anyparticular type of data, and includes any type of relationships betweenlogos and promotional products that is useful in controlling thecombinations used in the generating of the composite images provided inthe customized virtual catalog.

Decorative logo portion 350 includes one or more decorative logos thatare applicable for the generation of the composite images displayed in acustomized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, decorative logoportion 350 includes a default decorative logo 352. In variousembodiments, unless otherwise specified by the relationships 322, thedefault decorative logo 352 is the decorative logo used to decorate theimages of the promotional products included in the customized virtualcatalog when the customized virtual catalog is accessed by the clientassociated with client information block 300.

In various embodiments, decorative logo portion 350 includes one or moreadditional logos 354. Additional logos are not limited to any particulartype of logos, and include any types of decorative logos operable to beused to decorate promotional products. In various embodiments, the logoby category block 356 includes information specifying which logos, suchas the default decorative logo 352 and any of the additional logos 354,are to be used to decorate particular categories of promotionalproducts. By way of illustration, a default decorative logo 352 isspecified for use in the generated composite images in the customizedvirtual catalog for all categories of clothes, such as baseball hats andTee-shirts, and a given one of the additional logos 354 is designatedfor use in the generation of the composite images of a given category ofpromotional products, by way of illustration drinking mugs, when thecustomized virtual catalog for the client associated with clientinformation block 300 is being accessed.

In various embodiments, decorative logo portion 350 includes one or moreindications of “by manufacturing process” at block 358. The bymanufacturing process block 358 includes information associated withdecorative manufacturing processes, and which promotional products areable to be decorated using the given manufacturing process. By way ofillustration, embroidery is a manufacturing process by which certainpromotional products, such as baseball hats and Tee-shirt, can have adecorative logo applied to the actual product. However, embroidery isnot generally a manufacturing process that can be used to apply adecorative logo to other some other types of promotional products, suchas a ceramic drinking mug. In some instances, a plurality of differentmanufacturing process can be used on a same type of promotional product.By way of illustration, both embroidery and silk screening process canbe used to apply a decorative logo to a shirt. Therefore, bymanufacturing process block 358 includes information related to themanufacturing processes that are to be applied as filters whengenerating various composite images in the customized virtual catalogfor the client associated with the client information block 300.

In various embodiments, decorative logo portion 350 includes clientsettings 360. Client settings 360 are not limited to any particulartypes of client settings, and include settings the client has saved,including but not limited to, which of the decorative logos indecorative logo portion 350 is to be the default logo, and whichdecorative logos are to be used to generate the images of thepromotional products displayed when the customized virtual catalog isaccessed by the client.

In various embodiments, client information block 300 includes a clientcatalog arrangement and settings portion 370 including client catalogarrangements and settings 372. Portion 370 includes information relatedto aspects of how the customized virtual catalog is to be displayed tothe client when the client accesses the customized virtual catalog. Invarious embodiments, a default setting is used to determine thearrangement and the order of the promotional products as they aredisplayed to the client when the client is accessing the customizedvirtual catalog. By way of illustration, the default arrangement andorder of the promotional product includes the promotional products beingdisplayed and grouped by categories. By way of illustration, a firstcategory is baseball hats, and the baseball hats are grouped togetherand displayed all together to the client showing the various colors andvarious styles of baseball hats decorated using the client's decorativelogos. A second category of promotional products is drinking mugs, andthe various styles and colors of drinking mugs are displayed in theclient's virtual catalog grouped together and decorated using theclient's decorative logos. Grouping categories of promotional productsin the customized virtual catalog includes having all of the samecategory of promotional products in a same category displayed on a samepage, or on contiguous pages when displayed to the client.

In another illustration, promotional products are sorted by price, andare displayed in some relationship to provide, for example, promotionalproducts displayed from the lowest priced to the highest priced items,when displaying the customized virtual catalog to the client. By way ofillustration, inexpensive promotional products, such as writing pens,are displayed in the first section or pages of the customized virtualcatalog, then the next most expensive items, such as Tee-shirts, aredisplayed on later pages, and then even more expensive items, such ascollared shirts, are displayed on later pages of the customized virtualcatalog. In such embodiments, items within a same category may appear indifferent portions of the customized virtual catalog due to pricedifferences based on the manufacturing process used to decorate thepromotional product. By way of illustration, a baseball hat decoratedusing screen printing has a first price, wherein the same baseball hatdecorated using a more expensive manufacturing process, such asembroidery, has a second and higher price. Therefore, when thecustomized virtual catalog is displayed using an arrangement and settingbased on price, the same baseball hat can appear in two different placesin the customized virtual catalog, and having a different price for thetwo separate instances of the baseball hat.

In various embodiments, client catalog arrangements and settings 372stores information related to how the customized virtual catalog,including the order of product presentation, will be presented when aclient associated with client information block 300 accesses thecustomized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, one or more of thesettings stored in client catalog arrangements and settings 372 isconfigurable by the client, and can be saved in client catalogarrangements and settings 372 for use during future accesses to thecustomized virtual catalog by the client.

In various embodiments, a customized virtual catalog is presented to theclient accessing the customized virtual catalog wherein any newpromotional products that were not previously presented to the client asof the client's most recent access to the customized virtual catalog areset to appear first in the customized virtual catalog upon the nextaccess by the client. In various embodiments, tracking informationregarding which promotional products the client has and has not seen arestored in client catalog arrangements and settings 372. In variousembodiments, upon an access to the customized virtual catalog, adetermination is made as to which promotional products are new to theclient, and these promotional products can be displayed on the firstpages of the customized virtual catalog when the access is made.

In various embodiments, client catalog arrangement and settings portion370 includes client preferences related to the customized virtualcatalog. By way of illustration, portion 370 includes categories ofpromotional products the client always wants to see displayed first. Inanother illustration, portion 370 includes categories of promotionalproducts the client does not wish to have included in the customizedvirtual catalog being displayed when the client accesses the customizedvirtual catalog.

In various embodiments, portion 370 includes information related to thetype or the capacity of a display device used by the client accessingthe customized virtual catalog. By way of illustration, portion 370 caninclude information related to the size of the display screen used bythe client to access the customized virtual catalog. Thus, thearrangement and the layout of the customized virtual catalog can beorganized and scaled to fit the screen size of the display being used bythe client. Information included in portion 370 includes but is notlimited to any combination of information indicating a client device'sdisplay screen resolution, color capabilities, and memory size. Any ofthese parameters can be used to determine the most efficient or mostdesirable format for a client to receive and view the customized virtualcatalog.

In various embodiments, portion 370 includes information related to anypricing particular to the client associated with client information 300.By way of illustration, portion 370 can include information when theclient has pre-negotiated specific pricing related to one or more of thepromotional products. In various embodiments, the special pricing isdisplayed to a user accessing the customized virtual catalog and who isassociated with the client information 300 so that the user can see thatthey are being provided the special pricing. In various embodiments, thespecial pricing is automatically calculated into the pricing provided tothe user accessing the customized virtual catalog and who is associatedwith client information 300 whenever the user makes purchases covered bythe special pricing.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a product information block 400 accordingto various embodiments. Product information block 400 is not limited toany particular type of product information block, and includes anyproduct information block operable for use in generating the compositeimages of promotional products for a customized virtual catalog. Invarious embodiments, the product information block 400 is any one of theproduct information blocks 250 as shown in FIG. 2. In variousembodiments, product information block 400 is stored in a database, suchas but not limited to product database 186 as shown in FIG. 1A.

Returning to FIG. 4, in various embodiments, product information block400 includes a product information portion 410, and an image fileportion 450. Product information portion 410 is not limited to anyparticular type of information, and includes in various embodiments anyinformation associated with a promotional product that is available fordisplay a part of a customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments,product information portion 410 includes any combination of a productidentification (ID) 412, product description 414, colors 416, pricing418, applicable decorative processes 420, warping information 422, andlogo positioning information 424.

Product identification 412 is not limited to any particular type ofproduct identification, and can include any type of data used toidentify the promotional product associated with product informationblock 400. In various embodiments, product identification 412 includes aplurality of different product identifications, wherein the differentproduct identifications are used to differentiate between variations ofa promotional product, such as but not limited to different styles,different materials, and any other differentiating feature of thepromotional product associate with product information block 400. Invarious embodiments, the product identification 412 is the data includedin the mapping used by relationships 322 in a client information block300 of FIG. 3 to map the client logos of client information block 300 tothe promotional products associated with product information block 400.

Referring again to FIG. 4, product description 414 is not limited to anyparticular type of description, and can include any descriptive text,graphics, or other data that is useful in describing the promotionalproduct associated with product information block 400. In variousembodiments, some portion or all of the description included in productdescription block 414 appears in the customized virtual catalog when theproduct associated with product information block 400 is displayed to aclient.

In various embodiments, colors 416 includes information related to thecolors that a promotional product associated with product informationblock 400 are available in. In various embodiments, data stored incolors 416 is used to generate multiple composite images of a samepromotional product, wherein each of the multiple composite images aredisplayed using a different color based on the data stored in colors416.

In various embodiments, pricing block 418 includes pricing informationfor the promotional products associated with the product informationblock 400. In various embodiments, pricing information includes a baseprice for the promotional product in an undecorated state. In variousembodiments, the pricing information includes a finished price for apromotional product decorated with a decorative image (decorative logo).In various embodiments, pricing information includes different pricesfor a promotional products depending on what manufacturing process isused to decorate the finished and decorated promotional products. Invarious embodiments, pricing includes different pricing based on aquantity of the promotional product that is ordered.

In various embodiments, applicable decorative processes 420 includesdata related to which types of processes are applicable to the actualdecorating of the promotional products associated with productinformation block 400. Applicable decorative processes are not limitedto any particular types of processes. In various embodiments, applicableprocesses include any manufacturing processes useful for decoratingpromotional products, including but not limited to silk screening,painting, application of decals, engraving, embossing, and embroidery.For various products, a plurality of different type of manufacturingprocess can be used to decorate a promotional product associated withproduct information block 400. As further described herein, in variousembodiments, a client accessing the customized virtual catalog canselect which of a plurality of manufacturing processes the compositeimage generated in the customized virtual catalog should depict, andfiltering will be applied to the generated composite image of thepromotional product so as to have the appearance of the promotionalproduce having been decorated using the selected manufacturing process.

In various embodiments, warping information 422 includes data useful forwarping the image of the decorative logos onto the image of thepromotional product associated with product information block 400. Invarious embodiments, necessary warping is applied by the compositingengine, such as compositing engine 160 as shown in FIG. 1A, whengenerating composite image. The compositing engine places the decorativelogo image on the image of the promotional product according to the warpratio. The warping may be cylindrical or spherical, however, it will beappreciated that the warping ratio may be further defined to addressother types of product image topography, e.g. undulating, cubist, etc.In various embodiments, warping information 422 includes a warp ratio.In various embodiments, the warp ratio is automatically calculated basedon one or more dimensions associated with the promotional product, forexample but not limited to, the diameter of the promotional product.

In various embodiments, logo positioning information 424 includes datarelated to an area on the promotional product where, by default, animage of the decorative logo used to decorate the promotional productwill be positioned in a generated composite image including thepromotional product associated with product information block 400. Invarious embodiments, the logo positioning information 424 defines thegeometrical area, such as but not limited to a square, a rectangle, acircle, or a triangle, where the logo will be positioned by default whengenerating the composite image of the promotional product associatedwith product information block 400. In various embodiments, the logopositioning information 424 defines a center point around which adecorative logo is centered when generating the composite image of thepromotional product associated with product information block 400.

Image file portion 450 includes one or more image files 452 ofpromotional products associated with product information block 400. Theformat of the image files included in image file portion 450 is notlimited to any particular format, or to a same format among anyplurality of images files included in image file portion 450. Image fileformats can include any format useful for generating composite images tobe displayed as part of a customized virtual catalog.

In various embodiments, at least one of the images included in the imagefiles 452 is used as the basis for an image of a promotional productthat is decorated with a decorative logo and is displayed in one or moreviews when the customized virtual catalog is being accessed. In variousembodiments, the images included in image files 452 can be displayed asone or more thumbnail images in the customized virtual catalog, whereinthe user accessing the customized virtual catalog can select thethumbnail image in order to see an enlarged version of the selectedcomposite image.

In some embodiments, the thumbnail images are selectable, and theselected thumbnail images are presented along with other selectableoptions that allow a user accessing the customized virtual catalog toedit the generated composite image, as further described herein. Editingcan include editing parameters, such as but not limited to positionalinformation, the parameters related to the client's preferences for howto display the composite image having the edited parameter whenre-generating the composite images including the promotional productassociated with product information block 400. In various embodiments,the edited information related to a given client's preferences arestored in the given client's information block or blocks, rather than inproduct information block 400, so that when the product information isused by other clients, they will not have images of the promotionalproduct associated with product information block 400 appear as editedby the given client's preferences.

In various embodiments, one or more of the blocks included in productinformation block 400 is editable by a person who has authority to editthis information, such as a system administrator. By way ofillustration, a system administrator can have access and authority toedit pricing information stored in pricing block 418 in order to updatethe information related to pricing as a reflection of price increases orprice sales. By way of illustration, a system administrator can haveaccess and authority to add, to amend, and to delete image files toreflect changes to the product associated with product information block400.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a portion of a customized virtual catalog500 as generated according to various embodiments. Customized virtualcatalog 500 includes one or more displayable pages 502A and 502B. Pages502A and 502B include an illustrative display of one or more generatedcomposite images of promotional products. Based on the settings asdescribed herein with respect to the client information, the productinformation, and the relationships, one or more of the generatedcomposite images in customized virtual catalog 500 includes images ofpromotional products decorated with a decorative logo designated for theclient accessing the customized virtual catalog 500.

In various embodiments, pages 502A and 502B included a page indicator504A and 504B respectively, the page indicators 504A and 504B includingsome indication of which page is being displayed, such as but notlimited to a page number. In various embodiments, one or both of pages502A and 502B include a page scrolling feature 506A and 506B. Pagescrolling features 506A and 506B, when present, are used in variousembodiments to indicate to the client that additional display pages areavailable for viewing that are not currently shown on the display. Invarious embodiments, page scrolling features 506A and 506B provide aselectable portion of the display that can be selected, for exampleusing a screen cursor or in conjunction with a touch screen, to indicatethat a user viewing the display wishes to scroll to another page of thecustomized virtual catalog.

In various embodiments, pages 502A and 502B include one or morecategories of displayed promotional products, such as any combination ofpromotional products 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, and 560. It would beunderstood that for any given display of pages 502A and 502B, more orless promotional products could be displayed, depending on factors suchas the size of the display device used to view the customized virtualcatalog, the size of the images being displayed. and the number ofpromotional products included in any given category being displayed.

In various embodiments, any one or more of promotional products 510,520, 530, 540, 550, and 560 includes a description 512, 522, 532, 542,552, and 562 respectively. Descriptions 512, 522, 532, 542, 552, and 562are not limited to any particular type of description or types ofinformation, and includes any types of information, symbols, graphics,or other means of conveying information related to the promotionalproducts 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, and 560 respectively. In variousembodiments, the descriptions include a product name, such as “drinkingmug” or “Tee-shirt” that is descriptive of the associated promotionalproducts. In various embodiments, the descriptions include the productdescription, such as size information, available colors, materials,washing instructions, pricing information, and promotional indicationssuch as “NEW ITEM” or any other relevant information to be conveyedregarding the promotional products. In various embodiments, informationincluded in the description is information included in the productinformation block associated with the product being displayed, such asbut not limited to the product description stored in product informationblock 400 as shown in FIG. 4.

Returning to FIG. 5, one or more of the promotional products includes atleast one generated composite image 514, 524, 534A-C, 544A-C, 554A-C,and 564A-C of the promotional products 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, and 560respectively. By way of illustration, for promotional products 510associated with drinking mugs, page 502A includes an illustration ofthree images of a drinking mug 514. In various embodiments, the threeimages of drinking mug 514 represent variations of a same type drinkingmug, wherein the variations represent but are not limited to variationsin the color for the drinking mug of promotional product 510. In variousembodiments, each image of the drinking mug 514 includes an additionaldescription 518 of the product being displayed. For example, additionaldescription 518 could include a name of the color associated with thedrinking mug directly above the particular additional description 518.

In various embodiments, the promotional products displayed include adecoration area. By way of illustration, drinking mugs 514 each have adecoration area 516. Decoration area 516 is an area designated as thedefault position where the decorative image of the decorative logo isapplied to the image of the promotional product. The combination of theimage of the decorative logo and the image of the promotional product isgenerated using positioning, sizing, warping, and manufacturing processinformation provided with either the promotional product's informationor with the client information. Once generated, the composite imageincluding the decorative logo applied to the promotional product isdisplayed when the customized virtual catalog is accessed. In variousembodiments, the displayed images include the decorative logo or logosdesignated as the client's decorative logos or logos, and these imagesas displayed are customized to the particular client access and viewingthe customized virtual catalog.

The promotional products are not limited to having a single designateddecoration area per promotional product. Promotional products caninclude a plurality of designated decoration areas. By way ofillustration, the drinking mugs 514 can have a first designateddecoration area 516 on one side of the drinking mug, and a seconddesignated area 517 on a second side, for example a second side of theoutside of the drinking mug, or on the inside of the drinking mug 514.The location of the designated area is not limited to any particularlocation on the promotional product. By way of further illustration, adesignated area 519 can be located on an inside and bottom surface of adrinking mug 514.

As shown in FIG. 5, in various embodiments, a plurality of promotionalproducts are displayed on a single page of the customized virtualcatalog. Promotional products 520 include a description 522 and aplurality of drinking cups 524 having additional descriptions 528 anddesignated decoration areas 526. Promotional products 530 include adescription 532 and a plurality of novelty drinking cups 534A, 534B, and535C having additional descriptions 538A, 538B, and 538C respectively,and designated decoration areas 536A, 536B, and 536C respectively. Asillustrated by promotional products 534A, 534B, and 534C, promotionalproducts within a given category of promotional products, such as“novelty drinking cups” can include differences between the productsother than just a color or a size selection, and can include completelydifferent styles, brands, types of materials used, or otherdistinguishing features.

Promotional products 540 include a description 542 and images of aplurality of baseball hats 544A, 544B, and 544C having additionaldescriptions 548A, 548B, and 548C respectively, and designateddecoration areas 546A, 546B, and 546C respectively. As illustrated bypromotional products 544A, 544B, and 544C, promotional products within agiven category can include designated decoration areas that havedifferent shapes. Designated decoration area 546A is an approximatelysemi-circular area, wherein designated decorative area 546B is anapproximately rectangular area. Depending on the default and thecustomer settings any of the images of the plurality of baseball hatscan include a decorative logo as part of a composite image.

Promotional products 550 include a description 552 and images of aplurality of shirts 554A, 554B, and 554C having additional descriptions558A, 558B, and 558C respectively, and designated decoration areas 556A,556B, and 556C respectively. As illustrated by promotional products554A, 554B, and 554C, promotional products within a given category caninclude designated decoration areas that have different locations.Designated decoration area 556B is higher in relationship to shirt 554Bthan designated decorative area 556A is in relationship to shirt 554A,and decorative area 556C is lower with respect to shirt 554C than boththe designated decorative areas for shirts 554A and 554B. Promotionalproducts 560 include a description 562 and a plurality of images ofTee-shirts 564A, 564B, and 564C having additional descriptions 568A,568B, and 568C respectively, and designated decoration areas 566A, 566B,and 566C respectively.

As illustrated by promotional products 564A, 564B, and 564C, promotionalproducts within a given category can include the capability to choosebetween a plurality of pre-determined sizes for the designateddecoration areas 566A, 566B, and 566C. As illustrated by arrow 565,designated decoration area 566B represents a first size designateddecoration area, and designated decoration area 566C represents a secondand larger size designated decoration area. In various embodiments, aclient is allowed to select among two or more pre-determined sizes for adesignated decoration area, and can view how a given decorative logowould appear when rendered in a composite image onto the givenpromotional product in each of the pre-determined sizes. The number ofpre-determined designated sizes is not limited to any particular numberof pre-determined sizes. In various embodiments, a user is allowed tozoom to a larger or smaller decorative logo by enlarging or shrinkingthe size of the designated logo to any size between a firstpre-determined decorative area and a second and different sizedpre-determined decorative area.

In various embodiments, the customized virtual catalog is operable toallow a client accessing the customized virtual catalog to manipulatethe images of one or more of the decorated promotional products. Invarious embodiments, the customized virtual catalog is operable to allowthe client accessing the customized virtual catalog to select adifferent manufacturing processes for applying a decorative logo to apromotional product, and to have the image of the promotional productre-generated and displayed using the newly selected manufacturingprocess. In various embodiments, the customized virtual catalog isoperable to allow the client accessing the customized virtual catalog tomanipulate any combination of the logos, the positioning of the logo, acolor of the promotional product, the color of the logo, the size of thelogo, or some other editable parameter, and to have a new compositeimage including the promotional product decorated with the logogenerated and displayed. In various embodiments, the customized virtualcatalog is operable to allow a client accessing the customized virtualcatalog to store any edited parameters so that these edited images willbe generated and displayed to the client on future accesses to thecustomized virtual catalog.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, each of the promotional products illustratedis decorated. However, it would be understood that it is not necessarythat each and every promotional product illustrated include adecoration. In various embodiments, one or more of the promotionalproducts are illustrated as being blank, that is, without the additionalof a decorative image. By way of illustration, if a particular clientfor which the customized virtual catalog is being generated has onlyone, or only a few, decorative images associated with the client, andnone of these images are appropriate for some reason to decorate aparticular promotional product being illustrated, that particularpromotional product can still be illustrated without the image of thepromotional product including any decoration.

An illustration of a promotional product that would not necessarily beshown with a decoration is a instance where the designated imprint areafor decorating the particular promotional product is not appropriate,for example by being too small, for any of the decorative imagesavailable to the client accessing the customized virtual catalog. Inanother illustration, a given decorative image can have a definedminimum diameter that is necessary for any curved surface contemplatedfor application of the decorative image. A particular promotionalproduct, for example an ink pen used for writing, can have a diameterassociated with the body of the ink pen that is less than the minimumdiameter required for the decorative image. In such instances, thedecorative image having the minimum diameter requirement would not beavailable for application to the ink pen in a generated composite image.

It would be understood that the plurality of promotional productsillustrated in any given page or pages of a customized virtual catalog,or throughout the entire customized virtual catalog, can be decoratedwith various versions of a single decorative image if a decorative imageis applied to the any particular image of a promotional product.However, any given one, or combination of promotional products includedin a given page or pages of a customized virtual catalog are notrestricted to being shown as decorated with a same decorative image. Invarious embodiments, different images of promotional products, whetherthe same type of promotional product or different types of promotionalproducts, can be decorated with any number of different decorativeimages in any combination.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, any given decorative image can be illustratedon a composite image of a promotional product in variations includingshowing the decorative image using different sizes for the decorativeimage, different positions for the decorative image, or variations suchas different colors or different combinations of colors used for thedecorative image on a same type of promotional product.

In various embodiments, the composite images illustrated in thecustomized virtual catalog can provide “suggestions” to a user accessingthe customized virtual catalog. Suggestions can include composite imagesgenerated as one or more suggested variations for decorating apromotional product, including variations on the decorative image usedto decorate the promotional product, variations in the positioning ofthe decorative image on the promotional product, sizing variations ofthe decorative image used to decorate the promotional product, or anyother variations of the characteristics of the decorative image asapplied to the image of the promotional product.

In various embodiments, some form of built-in intelligence, such asartificial intelligence, is incorporated into the system used togenerate the composite images and that is operable to generate and toprovide to the user one or more of these suggestions. In variousembodiments, information provided to a user accessing the customizedvirtual catalog can include pricing information indicative of the pricesfor providing one or more of the “suggestions” illustrated as part ofthe customized virtual catalog.

FIG. 6 is an illustration 600 of a screen 602 generated as part of acustomized virtual catalog according to various embodiments. In variousembodiments, screen 602 includes a header 604. Header 604 is not limitedto any particular type of header, and in various embodiments, includesany combination of a title identifying the screen, and an address blockincluding the address, such as a web page address, of screen 602. Invarious embodiments, header 604 includes on or more icons 606 associatedwith pull-down menus or toolbars, including icons for requesting andinitiating such actions a “BACK”, “FORWARD”, “REFRESH”, HOME,” and“PRINT,” as would be understood by users and designers of web pages andcomputer screens.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes a logo block 610 and acomposite image block 630. In various embodiments, the composite imageblock 630 includes an image of a selected promotional product 633decorated with a decorative image 631. The promotional product selectedfor display in composite image block 630 can be a promotional productselected from a customized virtual catalog, such as the customizedvirtual catalog as shown in FIG. 5. Referring again to FIG. 6, thedecorative image 631 shown in composite image block 630 in variousembodiments is the default decorative image for this promotional productand associated with the particular client accessing screen 602 throughthe accessing of the customized virtual catalog.

In various embodiments, the decorative image 631 is also displayed as alogo in the logo block 610. In various embodiments, one or more editbuttons are included in a logo edit box 612 that allow a user to actuatea given one of the one or more edit buttons and to edit a particularaspect of the logo displayed in logo block 610. By way of illustration,an edit logo size button 614 allows a user to actuate button 614 and beprovided with options to edit the size of the logo displayed in logoblock 610. In various embodiments, editing the size of the logo includeschoosing from a plurality of pre-determined sizes, such as small,medium, and large.

In various embodiments, an edit logo colors button 616 is provided aspart of screen 602, wherein actuation of button 616 provides a user withoptions for editing the colors of the logos displayed in logo block 610.In various embodiments, actuation of button 616 provides a user withoptions for editing the transparency of different portions of the logorelative to each other and relative to the background behind the logodisplayed in logo block 610. In various embodiments, and edit textbutton 618 is provided as part of screen 602, wherein actuation ofbutton 618 provides a user with options for editing any text included aspart of the logo displayed in logo block 610.

In various embodiments, as edits are being made to the logo, the changesto the logo automatically appear as the logo displayed in logo block610. In various embodiments, the edits made to the logo automaticallyappear as the decorative image 631 in the composite image block 630. Invarious embodiments, any edit made to the logos in logo block 610 arenot applied to the composite image block 630 until actuation of theapply edits button 620 has occurred.

The methods of editing the decorative logo or logos displayed in logoblock 610 are not limited to any particular methods, and include anysoftware program or other means for editing an image.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes a promotional productdescription block 632. In various embodiments, block 632 includes anycombination of information related to the promotional product includedin composite image block 630, including but not limited to informationdescribing the promotional product, delivery information related to thedecorated promotional product including expected time from order todelivery, minimum order quantity information, available size informationif applicable, and available material information if applicable.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes pricing information block634. In various embodiments, pricing information block 634 includes anycombination of unit pricing information, sale pricing information,quantity discount pricing information, pricing information based onmaterials selected for the promotional product, and pricing informationbased on the manufacturing process chosen for decorating the promotionalproduct. By way of illustration, pricing for a shirt decorated usingscreen printing can have a different price than the same shirt decoratedusing embroidery.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes color block 636. In variousembodiments, block 636 indicates the available colors for thepromotional product 633 shown in composite image block 630. In variousembodiments, block 636 is operable to allow a selection of a differentcolor than the one currently displayed in composite image block 630, andwhen a different color is selected, the composite image block 630 isupdated to show the promotional product 633 using the newly selectedcolor.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes an edit logo position block638. In various embodiments, the decorative image 631 is located on thepromotional product 633 based on a default location. In variousembodiments, actuation of block 638 allows selection of a new positionfor the decorative image 631 on promotional product 633. In variousembodiments actuation of block 638 causes a positioning grid 640 to bedisplayed, wherein the positioning grid 640 allows selection of a gridpoint 641 that is indicative of a present or a new location for thedecorative image on the promotional product. In various embodiments, aselection on the positioning grid 640 indicates a relative move of thelogo in the direction indicated by the selection on the positioning gridrelative to the current position of the logo on the promotional product.In various embodiments, a selection on the positioning grid 640 isindicative of an absolute position selection for the logo relative tothe promotional product.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes an edit manufacturingprocess block 642. In various embodiments, block 642 includes a listingof any of the different manufacturing processes that are available forapplying the decorative image 631 to the promotional product 633. Invarious embodiments, the composite image block 630 shows the promotionalproduct decorated using a default manufacturing process. In variousembodiments, actuation of block 642 is operable to allow a selection ofa different manufacturing process than the default manufacturingprocess, and to have the composite image block 630 updated to show thepromotional product displayed having decorative image 631 applied usingthe newly selected manufacturing process.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes a save edits button 660. Invarious embodiments, actuation of button 660 is operable to have anyedits, including any edits to the logo, any edits to the positioning,any edits to the size of the logo, and edits to the manufacturingprocesses displayed for the particular promotional product, or in someembodiments, for the entire category of promotional products included inthe same category as the edited promotional product, when the usersleaves screen 602 and returns to the pages of the customized virtualcatalog that includes these edited promotional products. In someembodiments, actuation of the save edits button 660 cause the editsperformed while in the most recent display of screen 602 to be saved aspart of the client information associated with the client accessing thecustomized virtual catalog and performing the edits.

In various embodiments, screen 602 includes a return to previous screenbutton 662. In various embodiments, actuation of button 662 cause thedisplay of screen 602 to be exited, and to return a user to a previouslydisplayed screen in the customized virtual catalog. In variousembodiments, actuation of button 662 will not result in any of the editsperformed while screen 602 was being displayed in the most recentsession to be saved, or will not cause any edits to be saved that weremade since the last actuation of the save edits button 660.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a diagram 700 of a portion of customizedvirtual catalog having an order bar as included in various embodiments.Diagram 700 includes a promotional products portion 710 and an order barportion 750. Promotional products portion 710 includes any views ofgenerated composite images included a part of a customized virtualcatalog, including but not limited to the customized virtual catalog asshown in FIG. 5.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the promotional products portion 710 includesa number of images of promotional products 712, 714, 716, 722, 724, 726.The images of the promotional products are not limited to any particularpromotional products, or any particular combination of images ofpromotional products, and can include any number and any combination ofimages of promotional products.

In various embodiments, order bar portion 750 is displayed to a clientaccessing the customized virtual catalog alongside the promotionalproducts portion 710. It would be understood that the order bar is notlimited to being along a side of the promotional products portion 710,and in various embodiments, is displayed in another position relative tothe promotional product images, including above or below the promotionalproduct images. In various embodiments, the order bar is a separatescreen the user changes the display to, for example, by selecting agraphic symbol such as arrow 728.

In various embodiments, order bar portion 750 includes any combinationof the following: a selected promotional product box 752, item numberbox 754, order parameters 756, edit button 758, add-to-order button 760,and view pending order button 762. In various embodiments, a clientdevice used to display diagram 700 while the client is accessing acustomized virtual catalog is operable to allow selection of any one ofpromotional products 712, 714, 716, 722, 724, 726, and to place theselected promotional product into the selected promotional product box752. Selection of and movement of the selected item to the selectedpromotional product box 752 is not limited to any particular means, andin various embodiments is performed using a “drag-and-drop” operationwherein the item is selected using a cursor on the client device andhaving the selected item drug over to the selected promotional productbox 752 using a movement of the cursor.

In various embodiments, an item can be selected and moved to theselected promotional product box 752 by entering an item number of apromotional product into item number box 754 By way of illustration, theselection of promotional product 714 and the movement of the promotionalproduct 714 into selected promotional product box 752 is illustrated byarrow 730.

In various embodiments, order parameters 756 include any combination ofthe following: quantity, price per unit, and total price. In variousembodiments, when a promotional product is selected and moved to theselected promotional product box 752, a price per unit willautomatically be calculated and displayed in price/unit box 774. Thegenerated price includes a price based on a combination of any of thefeatures of the selected promotional product, including the item itself,the material used to form the item, and the manufacturing process usedto decorate the item with a decorative logo. By way of illustration, thecost of embroidery used to decorate a promotional product is a functionof both the number of different colors of thread required, and the totalnumber of stitches required. The automatically calculated price inprice/unit box 774 already takes these costs into consideration ingenerating the displayed price because the information associated withthe composite image is known as part of generating the composite image.

In various embodiments, when a promotional product is selected andplaced into the selected promotional product box 752, a defaultquantity, such as but not limited to a default quantity of “1” appearsin the quantity box 772. In various embodiments, based on the quantityand the price/unit, a total price is generated and displayed in thetotal price box 776. In various embodiments, the quantity appearing inthe quantity box 772 is editable, and if changed a resultant new totalprice will be automatically generated and displayed in the total pricebox 776. In various embodiments, the generated and displayed total priceautomatically takes into account any discounts per unit price that areapplicable based on the quantity in quantity box 772. In variousembodiments, if the quantity in quantity box 772 is changed, and thechange results in a different price/unit, the new price per unit will beautomatically displayed in the price/unit box 774.

Edit button 758 is a selectable portion of the display that whenselected, provides a display operable to allow editing of one or morefeatures of the promotional product currently present in the selectedpromotional product box 752. In various embodiments, actuation of theedit button 758 provides the promotional product presented in theselected promotional product box 752 in a screen such as the edit screenof FIG. 6. When in the edit screen, the features associated with theselected promotional product, such as color, size, manufacturing processused to decorate the promotional product, selection of a different logo,re-designing of the logo, changing the position of the logo, changingthe size of the logo, and any other editable features of the promotionalproduct are available for editing. Once the changes are finalized, anoption to return to the order bar portion 750 is presented, and whenactuated returns the composite image of the decorated promotionalproduct, as now edited, as the image in the selected promotional productbox 752. In various embodiments, any changes to the order parameters 756affected by the editing are automatically reflected in order parameters756 upon returning to the screen displaying the order bar.

The add-to-order button 760 is a selectable portion of the display inorder bar portion 750. In various embodiments, when the add-to-orderbutton 760 is actuated, the promotional product as present in theselected promotional product box 752, along with the order parameters756 present at the time the add-to-order button 760 is actuated, aresaved and added to a pending order for the client. In variousembodiments, the pending order is saved to an order database, such asorder database 196 as shown in FIG. 1A.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the view pending order button 762 is aselectable portion of the order bar. When actuated, the view pendingorder button 762 allows the display of a pending order for the client.In various embodiments, the pending order can include any number ofpreviously selected and added promotional products. In variousembodiments, any of the pending orders, including the price informationassociated with any of the decorated promotional products included inthe pending order, can be formed into an email that can be provided toone or more parties, including parties receiving the email over network110 from server 120, for the one or more parties to review.

In various embodiments, when a client accessing the customized virtualcatalog wishes to place an actual order for a pending order, the clientcan select a “place order” selection, such as button 872 in FIG. 8 asfurther described below, wherein when selected an order will be placedfor all of the promotional products included in the pending order. Invarious embodiments, the placed order, including ordering informationsuch as billing information, and shipping address information, can beobtained from the customer database 194 as shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 8 is an illustration 800 of a screen 802 included in a customizedvirtual catalog for a pending order according to various embodiments. Invarious embodiments, screen 802 includes a header 804, which may includeone or more icons 806 similar to icons 606 discussed regarding FIG. 6.Screen 802 includes at least one item 810 included in a pending orderfor a decorated promotional product. In various embodiments, screen 802includes a plurality of items 810 through 830, as represented by items810 and 830 and dotted line 825. The number of items included in apending order is not limited to any particular number of items, and caninclude any number of items placed into the pending order by a clientaccessing the customized virtual catalog.

It would be understood that screen 802 could in various embodimentsinclude a plurality of screens that are not all provided as part ofillustration 800, wherein different ones of the screens are displayed asscreen 802 is paged or scrolled.

In various embodiments, item 810 includes a composite image 812 of thepromotional product 813 decorated using the decorative image 811, aspending in the pending order. In various embodiments, item 810 includesa description box 816. Description box 816 is not limited to anyparticular type of description or information, and can include any typeof information, including a description of the promotional product 813,a description of the manufacturing process chosen to decorate thepromotional product 813, and any other information, including but notlimited to, delivery time. In various embodiments, item 810 includes anorder box 818. In various embodiments, order box 818 includes boxesincluding a numeral indication 819 indicative of the particular numberof the items included in the pending order related to item 810 that fallinto one or more different categories.

By way of illustration, order box 818 can include a series of sizesavailable for promotional product 813, and can include a number for eachof the sizes indicative of the number of promotional products 813 thatare included in the pending order for each of the sizes. Order box 818is not limited to any particular type of information or types ofcategories, and can include any categories appropriate for the decorateditems included in composite image 812, including categories ofmanufacturing processes, sizes, and colors.

In various embodiments, pricing box 820 includes pricing informationrelated to the pending order for the decorated images included in item810. In various embodiments, pricing information includes the actualprice per individual one of the decorated promotional products based onthe total quantity of the items illustrating in the composite image 812that are being ordered.

As shown in FIG. 8, additional items, such as item 830, can include anyone or any combination of the features described for item 810. Item 830includes a composite image 832 including promotional product 833, abaseball hat, decorated with decorative image 831. In variousembodiments, item 830 includes description 836, order box 838, andpricing 840. As shown in order box 838, in various embodiments, an orderbox can include categories indicative of colors available forpromotional product 833, and a numerical indication 839 of the quantityby color that are included in a pending order for decorated promotionalproducts included in composite image 832.

In various embodiments, screen 802 includes a pending order box 850. Invarious embodiments, pending order box 850 includes instructions 852,including but not limited to instructions such as billing and shippinginstructions related to the pending order of screen 802. In variousembodiments, pending order box 850 includes an order price box 854including but not limited to information indicating a total price forthe pending order, including information such as sales tax, and shippingand handling costs of the order as pending.

In various embodiments, screen 802 is operable to allow a user to editthe pending order. Editing can include editing a quantity of aparticular item in the pending order by selection, for example byactuating a cursor moved onto the portion of screen 802 to be edited. Invarious embodiments, pricing information for example in boxes 820, 840,and 854 are automatically updated to reflect any changes made in screen802 that affect price. In various embodiments, a selection made inscreen 802 on any one of a composite image, such as composite image 812or 832, takes a user to an edit screen, such as the screen describedwith respect to FIG. 6, and allows a user to further edit the compositeimage that eventually will be included in the pending order provided inscreen 802. Once competed, the editing will be reflected in thecomposite images and in the other information included in an item of thepending order, as shown in screen 802.

In various embodiments, screen 802 includes a previous button 870operable to, when actuated, return the client accessing the virtualcatalog to a previous display that was being provided before the clientrequested to view display screen 802. In various embodiments, when aclient is ready to place an actual order for the pending order includedin screen 802, the place order button 872 is operable to be actuated togenerate an actual order for the decorated promotional products includedin the pending order of screen 802.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of various methods 900 according to variousembodiments.

At block 910, various methods 900 include storing images of a pluralityof promotional products. In various embodiments, storing images of aplurality of promotional products includes receiving productinformation, including but not limited to, the product informationdescribed with respect to product information block 400 as shown in FIG.4. In various embodiments, storing images of a plurality of promotionalproducts includes any of the methods of receiving and storinginformation related to products as included in chart 101 shown in FIG.1B.

At block 920, various methods 900 include storing a plurality of defaultdecorative logos, each of the plurality of default decorative logosassociated with a particular client of a plurality of clients. Invarious embodiments, storing default decorative logos associated with aparticular client includes generating the client information included inclient information block 300 as shown in FIG. 3.

In various embodiments, storing a plurality of default decorative logosincludes setting up a first time user as a client. In variousembodiments, first time users are prompted to enter customerinformation, e.g. name, address, phone number, billing address, paymentinformation, and are assigned a user identification and password thatare user-modifiable. Upon entering a user id and a password, theinformation is sent to the server 120, where validation of the enteredinformation is done against a customer database, such as customerdatabase 194, that contains all the relevant customer information.

In various embodiments, upon successful validation, a first time user isprompted to enter one or more default logos that will be associated withthe first time user's client information on any further requests foraccess to the customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, thefirst time user is prompted to upload one or more images to be used asdefault logos. In various embodiments, the first time user will beoffered a catalog of available logos that can be selected by the firsttime user as one or more default logos for the first time user on futureaccesses to the customized virtual catalog. In various embodiments, afirst time user will be prompted to establish relationships betweendefault logos and the available promotional products by indicating whichdefault logos are to be applied to which, or to all of, the promotionalproducts available for display in the customized virtual catalog.

It would be understood that for any client accessing the customizedvirtual catalog, some logos can be commonly used by one or more clientsas default logos or additional logos. For example, an image that is inthe public domain, for example an image of a flower, can be provided toand used by a plurality of customers as a decorative image in thecomposite images of each of a plurality of customized virtual catalogs.In addition, certain logo, for example a logo including a trademark, arereserved and are unique to a particular client or group of clients foruse in generating composite images using the unique logo for only theparticular client or group of clients.

At block 930, various methods 900 include receiving from the particularclient a request to view a customized virtual catalog. In variousembodiments, receiving from a particular client a request to view acustomized virtual catalog includes identifying the particular clientthrough a login used to access the customized virtual catalog. Invarious embodiments, receiving from a particular client a request toview a customized virtual catalog includes identifying a particularclient device, such as but not limited to, a particular one of theclient devices 102A-N as shown in FIG. 1A, in order to determine whichparticular client is requesting the access to the customized virtualcatalog.

At block 940, various methods 900 include applying a default decorativelogo associated with the particular client to at least one of the imagesof the plurality of promotional products to generate a customizedvirtual catalog for the particular client. In various embodiments,generating the customized virtual catalog for the particular clientincludes applying at least one decorative logo associated with theparticular client to every one of the plurality of promotional productsavailable in the customized virtual catalog for the particular client.In various embodiments, generating the customized virtual catalogincludes generating the customized virtual catalog using a set ofrelationships linking a client information for the particular clientrequesting the access to a set of product information blocks includingimages of the promotional products in order to determine whichdecorative images are to be applied to which of the images of thepromotional products to be displayed as the composite images included inthe customized virtual catalog for the particular client.

At block 950, various methods 900 include displaying the customizedvirtual catalog for the particular client. In various embodiments,displaying the customized virtual catalog includes generating thecustomized virtual catalog at an application server including avisualization server and a compositing engine, and using a web server tocommunicate the generated customized virtual catalog over the internetto a web browser. In various embodiments, displaying the customizedvirtual catalog for the particular client includes displaying decorativeimages using warping to apply the decorative images to the compositeimage of the promotional products being displayed. In variousembodiments, displaying the customized virtual catalog for theparticular client includes displaying the decorative image using afilter to make the decorative image appear on the image of thepromotional product based on a manufacturing process selected for use inapplying the decorative image to the actual promotional product.

In various embodiments, displaying the customized virtual catalogincludes selections by the client on a thumbnail image, and presentingan enlarged image of the composite image including the selecteddecorated promotional product with detailed description of the decoratedpromotional product.

At block 960, various methods 900 include editing a selected one of thecomposite images provided as part of the customized virtual catalog. Invarious embodiments, editing a selected one of the composite imagesincludes editing the logo used as the decorative image applied to theimage of the promotional product, including editing a size, a color orcolors, any transparency features, or any text included in the logo. Invarious embodiments, editing a selected one of the composite imagesincludes substituting a different logo in place of the logo provided inthe composite image.

In various embodiments, editing the composite image includes editing theposition of the decorative image as the decorative image is applied tothe image of the promotional product. In various embodiments, editingthe composite image includes editing the appearance of the decorativeimage as applied to the promotional product by selecting a differentmanufacturing process to be used to apply the decorative image to theactual promotional product. In various embodiments, editing thecomposite image includes saving edits related to the composite image ofa decorated promotional product as the default composite image to begenerated on future accesses to the customized virtual catalog by thesame particular client who performed and saved the edits.

At block 970, various methods 900 include calculating one or more pricesfor decorated promotional products presented in the customized virtualcatalog. In various embodiments, calculating one or more prices includescalculating one or more prices based on a choice of the type of materialused to make the promotional product. In various embodiments,calculating one or more prices includes calculating one or more pricesbased on the selection of the manufacturing process to be used to applythe decorative image to the actual promotional product.

In various embodiments, calculating one or more prices includescalculating a price for the decorated promotional product based on thenumber of different colors included in the decorative image used todecorate the promotional product. In various embodiments, calculatingone or more prices includes calculating a price for the decoratedpromotional product based on the size of the decorative image used todecorate the promotional product.

In various embodiments, when embroidery is chosen as the manufacturingprocess to be used to apply the decorative image to the promotionalproduct, a calculation is made as to the number of stitches required tomake the decorative image based on a size of the decorative image byarea, multiplied by the average number of stitches in a given area todetermine a price per decorated promotional product using embroidery.

In various embodiments, calculating one more prices includes calculatingprices based on a quantity of the decorated promotional products beingordered by the client.

At block 980, various methods 900 include placing an order for one ormore decorated promotional products presented in the customized virtualcatalog. In various embodiments, placing an order for one or moredecorated promotional products includes selecting a particularpromotional product that is displayed as decorated with a decorativeimage associated with the client placing the order, and dragging thecomposite image of the decorated promotional product to a portion of thedisplay designated as an order bar.

At block 990, various methods 900 include exiting the customized virtualcatalog. In various embodiments, exiting the customized virtual catalogincludes saving to the client information associated with the particularclient exiting the customized virtual catalog any information, includingbut not limited to history and default settings, relate to theactivities performed on any of the screens, and to any orders by theparticular client while accessing the customized virtual catalog.

Various embodiments of a customized virtual catalog have been describedherein. Various embodiments include an apparatus comprising a serveroperable to generate a customized virtual catalog including a pluralityof composite images, wherein at least one of the plurality of compositeimages includes an image of a promotional product decorated using adecorative image associated with a client requesting access to thecustomized virtual catalog.

Various embodiments include a network based transaction systemcomprising a server coupled to a network, at least one client devicecoupled to the server through the network, the server coupled to aproduct image database storing product information and a plurality ofstored images of promotional products including a base product operableto be decorated using a decorative image, the server coupled to a logodatabase storing image files including image files having a default logoassociated with each particular one of a plurality of clients, and theserver coupled to a customer database storing customer informationassociated with each particular one of the plurality of clients, whereinthe server is operable to determine which particular one of theplurality of clients is requesting access to the server, and to generatea customized virtual catalog for the particular one of the plurality ofclients requesting access to the server, the customized vital catalogincluding at least one composite image having an image of one of thepromotional products decorated with the default logo associated with theparticular client requesting the access.

Various embodiments include a machine-readable medium comprising acomputer memory storing instructions, which when implemented by one ormore processors perform the following operations: storing images of aplurality of promotional products, wherein each of the plurality ofpromotional products is operable to be decorated by application of adecorative logo, storing a plurality of default decorative logos, eachof the plurality of default decorative logos associated with aparticular client of a plurality of clients, and each of the pluralityof default decorative logos operable to be applied as a decoration toone or more of the plurality of promotional products, receiving from theparticular client a request to view a customized virtual catalogincluding the plurality of promotional products, applying a defaultdecorative logo associated with the particular client to at least one ofthe images of the plurality of promotional products to generate acustomized virtual catalog for the particular client including acomposite image of the default decorative logo applied to the at leastone of the images of the plurality of promotional products.

Various embodiments include a method comprising storing images of aplurality of promotional products, wherein each of the plurality ofpromotional products is operable to be decorated by application of adecorative logo, storing a plurality of default decorative logos, eachof the plurality of default decorative logos associated with aparticular client of a plurality of clients, and each of the pluralityof default decorative logos operable to be applied as a decoration toone or more of the plurality of promotional products, receiving from theparticular client a request to view a customized virtual catalogincluding the plurality of promotional products, and applying a defaultdecorative logo associated with the particular client to at least one ofthe images of the plurality of promotional products to generate acustomized virtual catalog for the particular client including acomposite image of the default decorative logo applied to the at leastone of the images of the plurality of promotional products.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose maybe substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentinvention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited onlyby the claims and the equivalents thereof.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R.§1.72(b) requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quicklyascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted withthe understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit thescope or meaning of the claims. In the foregoing Detailed Description,various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for thepurpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is notto be interpreted to require more features than are expressly recited ineach claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may be found in less thanall features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate embodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A network based transaction system comprising: aserver coupled to a network; at least one client device coupled to theserver through the network; the server coupled to a product imagedatabase storing product information and a plurality of stored images ofpromotional products including a base product operable to be decoratedusing a decorative image; the server coupled to a decorative imagedatabase storing image files including image files having a differentdefault decorative image associated with each particular one of aplurality of clients; and the server coupled to a customer databasestoring customer information associated with each particular one of theplurality of clients; wherein the server is operable to determine whichparticular one of the plurality of clients is requesting access to theserver, automatically to generate a first customized virtual catalog fora first particular one of the plurality of clients requesting access tothe server, the first customized virtual catalog including a firstplurality of composite images each including a different promotionalproduct image automatically decorated using a first default decorativeimage associated with the first particular one of the plurality ofclients, and automatically to generate a second customized virtualcatalog for a second particular one of the plurality of clientsrequesting access to the server, the second customized virtual catalogincluding a second plurality of composite images each including adifferent promotional product image automatically decorated using asecond default decorative image associated with the second particularone of the plurality of clients; and wherein the server includes acompositing engine operable to render the composite images included inthe customized virtual catalogs based on relationships linking clientinformation, associated with the particular clients requesting access,to a plurality of sets of product information.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the first and second default decorative images vary in atleast one of size, shape, color, positioning, text, manufacturingprocess, and warping information.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe promotional products vary in at least one of size, shape, color,style, brand, and materials.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theserver is further operable to receive a selection from the firstparticular client of one or more attributes of the promotional products,and to receive a selection from the first particular client of one ormore attributes of the first decorative image.
 5. The apparatus of claim4, wherein the server is further operable to save one or more of theclient selections as default selections.
 6. A method performed by atleast one processor comprising: the processor storing a plurality ofimages in memory, each of the plurality of images including an image ofa promotional product, wherein each of the promotional products includedin the images is operable to be decorated by application of a decorativeimage; the processor storing an image of one or more default decorativeimages in memory, each of the default decorative images associated witha different particular client of a plurality of clients and beingselected by the particular client during a default logo selectionoperation, and each of the default decorative images operable to beapplied as a decoration to at least one of the plurality of thepromotional products; the processor receiving from a first particularclient a request to view a customized virtual catalog including theplurality of promotional products; the processor applying automaticallywithout further action by the first particular client an image of afirst default decorative image associated with the first particularclient to a plurality of the images of the plurality of promotionalproducts to generate, for display on a screen to the first particularclient, a first customized virtual catalog for the first particularclient including a composite image of the first default decorative imageapplied to the plurality of the images of the plurality of promotionalproducts; the processor receiving from a second particular client arequest to view a customized virtual catalog including the plurality ofpromotional products; the processor applying automatically withoutfurther action by the second particular client an image of a seconddefault decorative image associated with the second particular client toa plurality of the images of the plurality of promotional products togenerate, for display on a screen to the second particular client, asecond customized virtual catalog for the second particular clientincluding a composite image of the second default decorative imageapplied to the plurality of the images of the plurality of promotionalproducts; and the processor, when applying the default decorative imagesassociated with the particular clients to the plurality of the images ofthe plurality of promotional products, generating the customized virtualcatalogs using a set of relationships linking client information,associated with each particular client, to a plurality of productinformation blocks.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first andsecond default decorative images vary in at least one of size, shape,color, positioning, text, manufacturing process, and warpinginformation.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the promotional productsvary in at least one of size, shape, color, style, brand, and materials.9. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is furtheroperable to receive a selection from the first particular client of oneor more attributes of the promotional products, and to receive aselection from the first particular client of one or more attributes ofthe first decorative image.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the atleast one processor is further operable to save one or more of theclient selections as default selections.
 11. A machine-readable mediumcomprising a computer memory storing instructions, which whenimplemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:storing one or more images in the memory, each of the one or more imagesincluding an image of a promotional product, wherein each of thepromotional products included in the images is operable to be decoratedby application of a decorative image; storing one or more defaultdecorative images in the memory, each of the default decorative imagesassociated with a different particular client of a plurality of clientsand being selected by the particular client during a default logoselection operation, and each of the plurality of default decorativeimages operable to be applied as a decoration to at least one of the oneor more of the promotional products; receiving from a first particularclient a request to view a customized virtual catalog including theplurality of promotional products; applying automatically withoutfurther action by the first particular client a first default decorativeimage associated with the first particular client to a plurality of theimages of the plurality of promotional products to generate, for displayon a screen to the first particular client, a first customized virtualcatalog for the first particular client including a composite image ofthe first default decorative image applied to the plurality of theimages of the plurality of promotional products; receiving from a secondparticular client a request to view a customized virtual catalogincluding the plurality of promotional products; and applyingautomatically without further action by the second particular client asecond default decorative image associated with the second particularclient to a plurality of the images of the plurality of promotionalproducts to generate, for display on a screen to the second particularclient, a second customized virtual catalog for the second particularclient including a composite image of the second default decorativeimage applied to the plurality of the images of the plurality ofpromotional products; wherein applying the default decorative imagesassociated with the clients to the plurality of the images of theplurality of promotional products includes applying the defaultdecorative images to the plurality of images of the plurality ofpromotional products based on relationships linking client information,associated with each particular client, to the plurality of promotionalproducts.
 12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the firstand second default decorative images vary in at least one of size,shape, color, positioning, text, manufacturing process, and warpinginformation.
 13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein thepromotional products vary in at least one of size, shape, color, style,brand, and materials.
 14. The machine-readable medium of claim 11,further comprising receiving a selection from the first particularclient of one or more attributes of the promotional products, andreceiving a selection from the first particular client of one or moreattributes of the first decorative image.
 15. The machine-readablemedium of claim 14, further comprising saving one or more of the clientselections as default selections.
 16. An apparatus comprising: a serveroperable to generate a customized virtual catalog concurrentlydisplaying a plurality of composite images, the server including acustomer database operable to store information associated with one ormore clients accessing the server to request generation of thecustomized virtual catalog, wherein the server is operable to allow aclient to enter customer information into the customer database, whereinthe customer information of the client includes a first defaultdecorative image and a second default decorative image selected by theclient and to be associated with the client upon requests for access tothe customized virtual catalog by the client, wherein, when the clientrequests access to the server, the server is operable to generate thecustomized virtual catalog including a plurality of composite images,wherein a first one of the composite images includes an image of a firstpromotional product automatically decorated using the first defaultdecorative image uniquely associated with the request by the client toaccess the customized virtual catalog, wherein a second one of thecomposite images includes an image of a second promotional productautomatically decorated using the second default decorative imageuniquely associated with the client request; and the server beingoperable to apply the default decorative images to the images of thepromotional products based on relationships linking client information,associated with each particular client, to the promotional products. 17.The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second defaultdecorative images vary in at least one of size, shape, color,positioning, text, manufacturing process, and warping information. 18.The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second promotionalproducts vary in at least one of size, shape, color, style, brand, andmaterials.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the server is furtheroperable to receive a selection from the first client of a thirdpromotional product from a plurality of different promotional products,and to receive a selection from the first client of a third decorativeimage from a plurality of different decorative images.
 20. The apparatusof claim 19, wherein the server is further operable to immediatelydisplay, without further action by the first client, a composite imageincluding an image of the third promotional product decorated using thethird decorative image.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein theserver is further operable to receive a selection from the first clientof one or more attributes of the third promotional product, and toreceive a selection from the first client of one or more attributes ofthe third decorative image.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein theserver is further operable to save one or more of the client selectionsas default selections.
 23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the firstand second promotional products are identical.